The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov brought to the US a defendant in the corrupt case on sand theft (PHOTO)

The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Arsen Avakov, arrived in the United States on an official visit accompanied by Alexei Takhtai, who is connected to the corruption case concerning the plundering of state sand. Alexey Takhtay took part in negotiations with employees of the US State Department, US law enforcement agencies and members of the US Democratic Party. The photos concerning this event were published by Arsen Avakov on April 16, 2018.

Arsen Avakov and Alexey Takhtay met with DEA officials

We would like to remind that in November 2014, the staff of the “K” Office of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) installed a hidden camera in the office of the deputy head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Sergei Chebotar. In December 2014, Chebotar discovered video surveillance. The SBU managed to record the corruption actions of Chebotar and also the Avakov’s son Alexander, the head of the Department of Financial Support of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Alexei Takhtay, the head of the Internal Affairs Department of the Kiev region Vadim Troyan and the head of the enterprise “Spetsservis” of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Vasily Petrovsky (former Avakov’s assistant).

Radio Liberty: Avakov`s Deputy and the defendant of the case for the theft of sand Takhtay was appointed to the post of State Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

In such a way Chebotar, Takhtay and Petrovsky discussed in the office a financial scam: quality sand, which was on the balance of the company “Spetsservis” of the Ministry of Internal Affairs recognized illiquid and put up for sale at a reduced cost. The winner in the tender was appointed initially – a fictitious company. Later on, the front company had to resell the sand to the final buyer at market value. The received profit – to be put in their own pockets. The most interesting fact is, that this scam, according to Chebotar on video, was supervised by Arsen Avakov in person.

The mentioned video was submitted to the General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine, which refused to prosecute officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. On May 26, 2015, The Road Control newspaper published the news that SBU has video recordings from the Chebotar’s office. However, there was no reaction from the administration of the SBU and the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine (GPU). In December 2015, video recordings from Chebotar’s office were stolen from the criminal case file and published on Internet.

May 26 , 2015 The Road Control: The Security Service of Ukraine has a video recording of how Chebotar in his office was engaged in corruption

It is to be noted that before the publication of the video, in May 2015, Arsen Avakov fiercely defended his deputy Sergei Chebotar. “Chebotar. The created myth, which is happily twisted by faithfully deluded people, and scum from journalism”- said Avakov in his interview to liga.net. It is worth paying special attention – knowing the truth, Avakov intentionally covered offenders.

Immediately after the publication of the video in December 2015, the General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine opened a criminal case under art. 387 of the Criminal Code – the disclosure of data of the operative investigative activities. Thus, the GPU itself admitted that the records are real indeed and were stolen from the materials of the criminal case. It is worth paying attention – the prosecutor’s office did not want to arrest the suspects on the video, but wanted to arrest the person who posted that video!

Video from Chebotar’s office

The Decision of the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv of December 10, 2015 states the following:

“The video shows that these records were made by the State Institution on Combating Corruption and Organized Crime of the Central Directorate of the Security Service of Ukraine during the counter-intelligence activities and were subsequently legalized and attached to criminal proceedings”.

In these videos, Alexei Takhtay fully supervises the issue of sand sale to fictitious company for the purpose of further reselling to the end customer at a commercial cost. In connection with public outcry, the General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine opens a criminal proceeding against the head of the enterprise of the Ministry of Internal Affairs “Spetsservis” Vasily Petrovsky under Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – abuse of power or official position from mercenary motives.

By the decision of the Boryspil District Court of the Kiev region as of May 13, 2017, Vasily Petrovsky was found guilty under Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code. However, Alexey Takhtay and Sergei Chebotar avoided criminal responsibility, although Chebotar was the organizer of this scam, and Petrovsky and Takhtay only helped to fulfil the criminal intent. At the same time, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov in person oversaw this fraud.

In March 2016, the General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine filed a request to Pechersk District Court of Kiev to conduct a search in the building of the YouTube office in California, USA. In this way, the GPU attempted to establish the identity of the person who uploaded videos of the SBU from the Chebotar’s office to YouTube. Pechersk district court satisfied the request. The decision of the Ukrainian court was sent to the US Department of Justice. Thus, the US government knows about the Chebotar’s case, as well as about the corrupt actions of Alexei Takhtay.

The decision of the Ukrainian court to search the office of YouTube in California

So – the decisions of the courts confirm that the published videos of the SBU are real, and the verdict to Vasily Petrovsky confirms that it can be treated as a criminal offense. The question arises – why did the General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine not charge Chebotar and Takhtay? Moreover, Alexey Takhtay was promoted to Deputy of Arsen Avakov, and later was elected a State Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

Information on the crimes of Chebotar, Takhtay and Petrovsky is available to the US Justice Department, because the General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine itself transferred these data to the United States. However, despite the obvious fact of committing a corrupt criminal offense, Alexei Takhtay visits the United States in the company of the head of the Interior Ministry Arsen Avakov and negotiates with representatives of the US government and law enforcement agencies.

Alexey Takhtai met with Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau INL James A. Walsh

This circumstance is difficult to explain in terms of logic and common sense. As the US government is seriously fighting corruption, and cooperation with Alexei Takhtay harms the reputation of the United States. It is obvious that Interior Minister Arsen Avakov took Alexey Takhtai with him to raise his authority, to show that American politicians are negotiating with him.

Alexey Takhtai met with Congressman Andy Harris

It is interesting that at the moment the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), which closely cooperates with the US FBI, has taken the case concerning Chebotar’s films in its proceedings. According to the decision of the Pechersk district court of Kyiv as of March 13, 2018, video recordings from the Chebotar’s office concerning a scam with sand are recognized as evidentiary items. At the moment, the NABU collects an evidence for bringing charges against all the defendants of this corruption case.

The edition “Road Control” has already been publishing articles about this business for three years and calls law enforcement bodies to bring those responsible to justice. The head of the publication of “Road Control” Rostyslav Shaposhnikov expresses deep hope that the US government will carefully treat this issue and make appropriate conclusions regarding further cooperation with Interior Minister Arsen Avakov and his corrupt associates.